Finishing tool for corner tape



FINISHING TOOL FOR CORNER- TAPE Filed May 23, 1949 INVENTOR. RoB ER1-"G.AMx-:s

ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 12, 1950 FINISHING TOOL FOR CORNER TAPE Robert G. Ames, Burlingame, Calif., assignor of one-half to George W. Williams, and one-fourth to Stanley Ames, both of Burlingame, Calif.

Application May 23, 1949, Serial No. 94,840

9 Claims. (01. 216-61) The present invention relates to improvements in a finishing tool for corner tape; and has particular reference to a tool adapted to press a covering tape over mastic that hasbeen applied to a corner joint of a room.

It has been the practice in the building art to cover the joints of wall boards with mastic and thereafter apply a strip of tape over the mastic when covering a corner joint. The tape is folded along its medial portion to present two flaps, and these flaps overlie the meeting wall boards.

The present invention makes it possible to put pressure simultaneously on both flaps of the folded tape for the purpose of flattenin out any uneven surfaces therein.

The finishing tool described herein may be used in connection with the combined tape and mastic applier set forth in my copending application, Serial No. 597,345, filed in the United States Patent Office on June 2, 1945, now Patent No. 2,502,499 issued December 14, 1949.

Another important object of this invention is to eliminate any excess mastic underlying the tape. By applying my finishing tool, this excess mastic will be forced away from the corner. The device is fashioned with flanges adapted to receive the squeezed-out mastic. These flanges spread the excess mastic onto the adjacent wall boards, where it can be removed easily with a knife. Without these flanges, the extruded mastic will drip onto the floor.

It is further proposed in my invention to provide a speedy, economical, and easy-to-handle tool, which will produce an even surface on the applied tape. In order to accomplish this effect, I provide several rollers, which are arranged to be advanced along the folded tape to squeeze out any excess mastic from under the tape and force the extruded mastic upon the flanges of the tool.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawin in which like reference characters are used to indicate corresponding parts in the different views.

In the drawing: I

Figure 1 is an isometric view of my improved finishing tool for corner tape;

' Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof, as viewed from the right of Figure 1;

Figures 3, 4 and 5 are horizontal transverse sectional views taken along the lines IIIIII, IV--IV and 'V-V, respectively, of Figure 2;

2 Figure 6- is a sectional view taken along the plane VIVI of Figure 1, and illustrates my finishing tool applied to a folded tape overlying mastic disposed over a corner joint of a room,

but prior to the tape being pressed into final position; and

Figure '7 discloses the same corner joint after the tape has been rolled into final position and the tool removed therefrom.

While I have shown only the preferred form of my invention, it should be understood that various changes, or modifications, may be ,made within the scope of the annexed claims without departing from the spirit thereof.

In order that the problem may be thoroughly understood, reference is made to Figure 6, wherein a corner joint is disclosed as being defined by a pair of angularly-re'lated wall boards i and 2. These boards are fashioned with vertically-extendin grooves 3 and 4, respectively, on the interior angle of the joint. In actual practice, these grooves are the same in width; however, since the board 2 overlaps the board I, the exposed width of the groove 4 will be less than that of the groove 3, when viewed from the interior side of the angle at the corner of the room.

It is a common practice to apply mastic 5 over the corner joint, and thereafter introduce a strip of tape 6 over the mastic. This strip is folded lengthwise along its medial portion to present flaps 6a and 6b, which overlie the boards 8 and 2, respectively. My combined tape and mastic applicator in Serial No. 597,345, above mentioned, is adapted to apply both the tape and mastic over the corner joint.

My finishing tool, which is shown in Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, is intended to be used for rolling the tape 6 toward the wall boards i and 2, and squeezing out any excess mastic 5 from under the tape. Figure '7 discloses the completed corner joint, and it will be noted that the mastic feathers out toward the opposite side edges of the flaps 6a and 6b. The greatest amount of mastic is disposed at the apex Ti of the interior angle of the meeting wall boards.

In the drawings, I show my finishing tool as having a body indicated generally at A defining angularly-related face plates 8 and 9, which have been shown as being arranged at to one another. The body A is provided with compartments B therein, which open on the faces 8 and 9 and straddle the junction N3 of these faces, as clearly shown in Figure 1.

Each of the compartments B contains rollers C and D, which are arranged one above the other and are rotatably supported on bolts l l. The latter extend through threaded bores E2 in the body A and are retained in place by lock. nuts :4. The outer ends l of the rollers C project slightly beyond the face 8; likewise, the outer ends iii of the rollers D extend beyond the face 9.

It will be noted that the rollers C and D are cylindrical and are mounted so as to .have peripheral sections projecting outwardly beyond the faces 9 and 8, respectively. As illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, these rollers have hubs ll, which are formed integral with the drums l8 of the rollers. The inner end portions i8a of the drums, which are disposed adjacent to the walls IQ of the compartments B are reduced in diameter.

The bolts ll pass loosely through openings 26 to permit the rollers to wobble slightly with respect to their longitudinal axes. Thus, when the body A is forced into the interior angle defined by the wall boards I and 2, as suggested by the arrow 2| in Figure 6, the resultant reaction force of the Wall boards, indicated by the arrow :22, will cause the rollers to swing slightly into inclined relation with respect to their respective bolts l i. It is quite apparent that such inclining of the rollers will result in feathering the mastic 5 toward the opposite edges 23 of the flaps 6a and Eb ,(see Figure '7). The reduced drum portions [8a of the rollers that ride over the tape flap 6?) relieve the pressure on the marginal section Eb" of this flap, thus precluding all of the mastic from being forced out from underneath this marginal section.

For the purpose of advancing the tool body A along the wall boards, I provide a handle 24 that is disposed at the rear of the tool body, This handle is swingably attached by a bolt 25 to lugs 25 formed integral with the back of the face plates 8 and 9 (see Figure 5). It will be understood that the handle can swing relative to the body A as the latter is moved along the tape 5 by the operator.

In Figure 3, I show the outer ends E5 of the rollers C as being spaced from the board I when the rollers contact the board 2, Likewise, Figure 4 discloses the outer ends 86 of the rollers D clearing the board 2 as these rollers ride along the wall board I. Thus, the outer ends it? and N5 of the rollers C and D, respectively, will not mar or deface the tape E during movement of the tool therealong.

There is a further advantage of having the rollers C and D arranged to swing into slight angular positions with respect to the bolts i l. The wall boards l and 2 may not be disposed at exactly right angles with respect to one another. The inclining of the rollers will permit the rollers to bear firmly against the tape flaps 6a and 6b on such non-right angularly related boards.

The wall corner may extend in any direction, such as vertically, horizontally or at an angle, as for instance, along a slanted ceiling wall. The handle 24 is located approximately midway between the top 28 and bottom 28 of the tool body A so as to press the tool firmly against the wall boards while guiding the tool by its handle.

Inasmuch as all of the rollers C and D are fashioned with reduced end portions lBa, the

The operation of my finishing tool is summarized briefly as follows:

Assuming that the mastic 5 has been applied to the grooves 3 and 4 of the Wall boards i and 2, respectively, and that a strip of tape 5 has been folded over this mastic in the manner shown in Figure 6, the operator grasps the handle 24 and moves the tool body A toward the tape. Care should be taken to align th junction ll] of the angularly-related face plates 8 and 9 with the apex i of the interior angle formed by the wall boards. This will position the rollers C and D over the tape naps 6b and 6a, respectively.

Next, the finishing tool is pressed firmly toward the tape 5, as suggested by the arrow 2| in Figure 6. The entire finishing tool is advanced along the length of the tape, while applying pressure to the tool to urge the latter toward the wall boards. The rollers C and D force excess mastic out from underneath the flaps 5b and 6a, respectively, and cause the mastic to feather toward the opposing edges 23 of the tape. This extruded mastic will be wiped by the .flangerlike face plates 3 and it against the wall boards I and 2. Subsequently, this excess mastic may be re:- moved from the wall boards by using a knife. The face plates extend well beyond the compart: ments B and prevent the extruded mastic from .falling onto the floor.

I claim:

1. In a finishing tool for corner tape; a body having a pair of angularly-related face plates, the body being provided with a compartment therein which opens on the faces of the plates and straddle the junction of these face plates; a pair of rol rs rotatably supported in the compartment, with the rollers disposed at an angle with respect to one another corresponding substantially with the angularity of the face plates; the axis of one roller substantially paralleling one of the face plates, and the axis of other roller substantially paralleling the other face plate; both of the rollers having peripheral sec: tions projecting beyond the face plates which they parallel.

2. In a finishing tool for corner tape: a body having a pair angularly-related face plat s, the body being provided with a compartment therein which opens on the faces of the plates and straddle the junction of these face plates; a pair of rollers rotatably supported in the com: partment, with the rollers disposed at an angle with respect to one another corresponding sub: stantially with the angularity of the face plates; the axis of one roller substantially paralleling one of the face plates, and the of the other roller substantially paral (1g the other plate; both of the rollers h. tang peripheral sections prce iecting beyond the which they parale lcl; each roller having an outer end spaced inwardly toward the body with respect to the projecting peripheral section of the other roller.

3. In a finishing tool for corner tape: a body having a pair of angularly-related face plates, the body being provided with a compartmenttherein which opens on the faces of the plates and straddle the junction of these iace plates; a pair of rollers rotatably supported in the compartment, with the rollers disposed at angle with respect to one another corresp ing sub: stantially with the angularity ofthe lace plates; the axis of one roller substantially paralleling one of the face plates, and the axis or" the other roller substantially paralleling the other face i plate; both of the rollers having peripheral sections projecting beyond the face plates which they parallel; each roller having an inner end of reduced external diameter disposed adjacent to the body.

4. In a finishing tool for corner tape: a body having a pair of singularly-related face plates, the body being provided with a compartment therein which opens on the faces of the plates and straddle the junction of these face plates; a pair of rollers rotatably supported in the compartment, with the rollers disposed at an angle with respect to one another corresponding substantially with the angularity of the face plates; the axis of one roller substantially paralleling one of the face plates, and the axis of the other roller substantially paralleling the other face plate; both of the rollers having peripheral sections projecting beyond the face plates which they parallel; and means rotatably supporting the rollers for lim ited swinging movement of their axes into angular positions.

5. In a finishing tool for corner tape: a body having a pair of angularly-related face plates, the body being provided with a compartment therein which opens on the faces of the plates and straddle the junction of these face plates; a pair of rollers rotatably supported in the compartment, with the rollers disposed at an angle With respect to one another corresponding substantially with the angularity of the face plates; the axis of one roller substantially paralleling one of the face plates, and the axis of the other roller substantially paralleling the other face plate; both of the rollers having peripheral sections projecting beyond the face plates which they parallel; the face plates extending laterally beyond the compartments.

6. In a finishing tool for corner tape: a body having a pair of angularly-related face plates; a pair of rollers rotatably supported by the body, with the rollers disposed at an angle with respect to one another corresponding substantially with the angularity of the face plates; the axis of one roller substantially paralleling one of the face plates, and the axis of the other roller substantially paralleling the other face plate; both of the rollers having peripheral sections projecting beyond the face plates which they parallel.

7. In a finishing tool for corner tape: a body having a pair of angularly-related face plates;

a pair of rollers rotatably supported by the body,

with the rollers disposed at an angle with respect to one another corresponding substantially with the angularity of the face plates; the axis of one roller substantially paralleling one of the face plates, and the axis of the other roller substantially paralleling the other face plate; both of the rollers having peripherahsections projectingbeyond the face plates which they parallel; each roller having an outer end spaced inwardly toward the body with respect to the projecting peripheral section of the other roller.

8. In a finishing tool for corner tape; a body having a pair of angularly-related face plates; a pair of rollers rotatably supported by the body, with the rollers disposed at an angle with respect to one another corresponding substantially with the angularity of the face plates; the axis of one roller substantially paralleling one of the face plates; and the axis of the other roller substantially paralleling the other face plate; both of the rollers having peripheral sections projecting beyond the face plates which they parallel; each roller having an inner end of reduced external diameter disposed adjacent to the body.

"9. In a finishing tool for corner tape; a body having a pair of angularly-related face plates; a pair of rollers rotatably supported by the body, with the rollers disposed at an angle with respect to one another corresponding substantially with the angularity of the face plates; the axis of one roller substantially paralleling one of the face plates; and the axis of the other roller substantially paralleling the other face plate; both of the rollers having peripheral sections projecting beyond the face plates which they parallel; and means rotatably supporting the rollers for limited swinging movement of their axes into angular positions.

ROBERT G. AMES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 746,585 Scheer Dec. 8, 1903 2,339,235 Allen Jan. 18, .1944 

